Albums // Penguin Prison
When my best friend dances, her twisting jives are not only hilarious but completely contagious, sure to get me off my backside and on to the dance floor.
From the first couple of seconds into the chorus of Penguin Prison’s first song, Don’t Fuck with my Money on his self titled album (5th September 2011), I instantly envisaged Elsie’s smiley face, singing along at a party and dancing in a coiling fashion. The heart-warming nostalgia that I felt from the one track made me hungry for more electronic rhythms and smooth vocals.
Each song on the record is just as enjoyable as the first. Penguin Prison has created a satisfying relationship in all aspects of his music, from the pitch-perfect synths and heart racing bass lines to the Presets-meets-Prince-style vocals which are harmoniously intertwined with his tongue ‘n cheek lyrics. This is the kind of album that you (think you can) sing along to after just one listen.
Hating to sound too cliché, I must admit my favourite track on the album has to be their first single from the record, Fair Warning. The eerie 80’s disco funk soars and subtle echos from the vocals spark a fantasy escape, a world very much welcomed through my earphones on any grim commute.
An equal favourite on the Penguin Prison record is the more upbeat, Multi-Millionaire, where the ‘ti‘ in ‘multi‘ is pronounced like ‘tie‘ – very American. Welcomed in this circumstance, as the electronic zings and zangs throughout the pop melody is very reminiscent of the New York youth scene. I can imagine a lot good-looking kids in their mid-20s wearing plaid, dancing to this tune at some underground club in Brooklyn.
Speaking of the US, when I searched Penguin Prison on Twitter (a cunning journalist if ever there was one) much of the public raved about their tune, A Funny Thing. For me however, this track still stays true to PP’s sound, but I felt that the extreme American accent is overkill.
Penguin Prison’s everyday ‘Clark Kent’ is a man named Chris Glover. Don’t let the name fool you, he ain’t no 80’s actor. He is a remixer de jour for the likes of Marina and the Diamonds, Goldfrapp and Passion Pit. Incredibly talented, Glover will certainly make his own mark within the electronica music world.
Everyone will be escaping the cold and huddling indoors this coming season, so turn up the volume and put on your dancing shoes. Like a good red wine and unlike a threesome to spice up your relationship, Penguin Prison is best shared with friends.
Sophie Verass.
Don’t Fuck With My Money – Click to Listen.
Comments
Facebook comments:
